Help styling a polka dot dress - YouLookFab Forum

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Help styling a polka dot dress

Meredith1953

Veteran

Ladies,
I wore this dress and posted it as a WIW to the Puccini Martini Blast. It is a sleeveless polka dot dress that I would like to try to get as many decent combinations from it as possible. I am including lots of pic showing it with many different tops and jackets and footwear. I teamed it also with a couple of scarves and one gun metal pearl necklace which I don't wear much. Please let me know which are successful pairings and which which would be if I changed some aspect. Also if there are some real duds...yeah...let me know that too.

One of the pairs of shoes is a new pair of boutique 9 lace-less peep-toe oxfords and I really think they are cute!

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Dressing

17 replies

Latest reply was from Aida

cjh

(website)

Veteran

I love all these looks, though my faves are the ones with the bare legs, light shoes and bright jackets, the yellow and coral in particular. In 2, are you topping the dress with a black turtleneck? I like the summery lighter looks better than the cold-weather ones - maybe because i' m in the spring mood!

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

I love all the options Meredith - but not with the black boots. I find the boots a little heavy with the polka dots. But I adore every combo otherwise - and glad to see those Boutique 9's are working out for you - they look great!

Tina

Veteran

My favorites are 7, 9, 12 and 13 (not necessarily in that order). I agree with Shannon, shoes work better than boots. Good job exploring your options!

Parsley

Veteran

Love the black and white polka dots, Meredith!
My favorite outfits are the ones where you wear a jacket or sweater open over it. The ones that are all fastened or buttoned up risk looking a little too prim and schoolmarmish to my eye. I also prefer the ones with bare legs instead of boots.

I'd love to see this dress with a more cropped and fitted cardigan or topper in white or a bright color. Something that would show a little of the front of the dress, and show your shape a little bit more. You've got a great figure- don't hide it!

I know the possibility of shortening it was mentioned in your other post with this dress, but I wonder if you might try pinning it up to a slightly shorter length to see how it looks?

Meredith1953

Veteran

So far everyone has consensus on not wearing the dress with the boots. I wasn't sure anyway and you are correct that the boots are too heavy looking.

@Cjh,
Yes I tried it with a turtleneck just to see if I could make it work.

@Shannon,
If I don't wear it with the boots you like all the other toppers including the red moto jacket and the new blue denim jacket? Yep those are the boutique 9s!

@Tina,
Thanks! I appreciate the feedback and I am leaving no stone unturned in trying the dress with different things.

@Parsley,
I am never sure when to button or not button a jacket or sweater. Ideally these toppers would be cropped higher but alas they are not. They do still seem to work fine, just not as well as if they were cropped. I'll look at the length of the dress. I generally like them at or slightly above the knee so I think this might be a "tad" long.

christieanne

Veteran

Lighter jackets - yellow, white and coral with the nude shoes. Love!

I thought it worked with the turtleneck layered over and the boots but maybe because I love a midi length skirt and boots so I am biased. It could still be good alternative to denim.
I don't like the boots with the lighter jackets though.

Meredith1953

Veteran

@Christieanne,
Good point about the boots not working at all with those lighter jackets. I have some other shorter cardis (purple, light yellow, rose, sage green, and black) that I might also try with the dress.

Beth Ann

Veteran

How clever you are! How versatile this dress is! They all work -- but the only one I'm not really on board with is pic 11-12. I love this dress with the boots as styled in 16 -- the denim topper helps anchor the boots, IMO. I adore 7, 13 and 16. And yes, I like it very much with the lighter shoes. Which shoes are these? I must check them out!

Anonymous

I love your new shooties! They look super-modern! I think the possible combinations with this dress are endless. What does the top of the bodice look like? Can you put a button front shirt underneath the dress? A turtleneck? I love all of these, and I'm finding the big dot/little dot combination especially endearing. Good job, I know this is exhausting work!

Aida

Veteran

Pretty dress! I prefer jackets open as Parsley said; I do think the longer cardigans aren't working well proportions-wise, and some really cropped cardigans would look much better there. I also agree the boots look heavy, but if you wanted to wear boots, something sleeker with a little heel/wedge could work (even if it's dark). The peep toes look great!

fern

Veteran

#9 made me say Wow

ManidipaM

Veteran

I LOVE #5, #7, #8-10, and ADORE #13.

I'm with Claire --- can the turtleneck possibly go *under* the dress? Also, how about trying the pearls over the turtleneck --- I feel like a scarf is reading a bit heavy over it and a longer vertical movement would be better, as well as a little sparkle to lighten things up... Or maybe add a narrow coloured or metallic belt belt over it, and use a scarf to echo its colours/pattern/vibe?

Regarding the boots, I have to say I rather like them with the red leather...

Meredith1953

Veteran

@beth Ann,
Thanks for admiring my tenacity. I just wanted to keep an open mind about teaming it with boots. I wonder if a shorter boot like the Doc Marcies that Shannon wears might work. The denim jacket does work which is exciting to me since it
is a new acquisition. The new shoes are from Boutique 9 and are the same ones that Shannon hasn't received yet. Angie has a pair also and yesterday another YLFR received their pair. The other pair of shoes in the pics are a pair of Nurture nude slingbacks. I'll post a pic of both pairs.

@Claire,
The new shoes are really cute. I'll post a picture of the dress as it exists without a jacket. I can put a things over but not under it. Id has a sort of "ruching" below the empire seam. The two blouses I bought yesterday, (the black and the white with small puff sleeves) will work I believe over the top but I kind of want a belt to define the waist with them. I will post a pic so you can get the general idea but I would rather have a colored belt.

@Aida,
Wow! great thought about a heel/wedge. None of my boots are very sleek
which is ok with pants tucked in but not so great with dresses or skirts. What about the shorter doc marcies that Shannon wears? Do you have a recommendation
for a sleek heel/wedge boot? You always look so great in yours.

@Fern,
Thanks! I'm not sure about jacket zipped all the way up but I do like the color and idea of the red jacket.

@ManidipaM,
There is a "ruching" directly at the high waist that might not look great with a top underneath but I do have the black and the white new blouses that can go over it. I'll try pearls Over the turtleneck for sure. A narrow colored belt is definitely on my list
I don't normally define my waist or tuck but I do need to breakup that length. Thanks for liking the boots. Aida made a great suggestion about me looking for a pair of wedge/heel boots that are sleeker. I also wonder if doc Marcies (the kind that Shannon wears) might work?

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teri

Veteran

loving #13.

modgrl

(website)

Veteran

I like it with any and all of the light combinations. I don't like it with black. Please wear it with the yellow cardi and the polka dot scarf. That is just so sweet!

Meredith1953

Veteran

Thanks so much Teri!

Aida

Veteran

I think the Marcie's could work, worth a try for sure. My only pair of sleek boots are Miz Mooz "Flynn", which are really awesome boots but I am not sure what your calf circumference is. I'm sure you could get some great sleek boot recommendations if you started a thread about it. I'm all about slouchy boots